Application of chitosan microparticles for treatment of metritis and in vivo evaluation of broad spectrum antimicrobial activity in cow uteri

Abstract Uterine disease such as metritis is associated with multiple bacterial infections in the uteri after parturition. However, treatment of metritis is challenging due to considerably high antibiotic treatment failure rate with unknown reason. Recently, chitosan microparticles (CM) have been developed to exert broad spectrum antimicrobial activity against bacterial pathogens, including multi-drug resistant bacteria, without raising CM resistant mutants. In this study, we tested, using metagenomics analysis, if CM maintain strong antimicrobial activity against pathogenic bacteria such as Fusobacteriaceae and Bacteroidaceae in cow uteri and evaluated CM's potency as an alternative antimicrobial agent to cure metritis in cows. Here, we report that efficacy of CM treatment for metritis was comparable to the antibiotic ceftiofur, and CM greatly altered uterine microflora of sick animals to healthy uterine microflora. Among uterine bacteria, CM significantly decreased Fusobacterium necrophorum , which is known pathogenic bacteria within the uterus. Taken together, we observed the broad spectrum antimicrobial activity of CM in vivo with an animal model, and further evaluated treatment efficacy in cows with metritis, providing insights into promising use of CM as an alternative antimicrobial agent for controlling uterine disease.